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The 2016 Flint Jazz Festival features Grammy-nominated pianist Christian Sands with his trio next Saturday, August 13th at The Meadows north of The Flint Institute of Music. Open lawn seating, bring your own lawn chairs. Admission: $3 for Saturday, $5 for Sat/Sun.

Hailing from New Haven, Connecticut, Sands was mentored by pianist Billy Taylor, who gave him his first big break: closing one of Taylor’s sets at the Kennedy Center. Sands went on to study at the Manhattan School of Music, where he recorded with Bobby Sanabria’s Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra (on Kenya Revisited Live) in 2009.

Sands has toured internationally with bassist Christian McBride’s group Inside Straight. In 2014, Sands became a Finalist for the American Pianists Association Jazz Fellowship Awards.

Sands has cited musical influences Wynton Marsalis, Kenny Garrett, and Marcus Roberts. “They’re coming from the tradition of bringing people into the music, but also moving it forward into new directions”.

Back to the Bricks is this week, and it’s kicking off Tuesday with best car movie ever made: Bullit (1968), starring Steve McQueen. US23 Drive-In Theater (5200 Fenton Road in Flint) is having a kick-off car show party with a DJ and a free showing of the epic car-chase classic. We bet you’ll be ducking for joy with all of those hubcaps flying toward you on the giant outdoor big screen. Bring a date and cozy up with the real King of Queens.